The encounter with the white stag left a permanent mark on The Wellspring's soul. It was a humbling, a reminder that the valley was not a blank slate for their ambitions but an ancient, sentient space with its own rules and guardians. Respect replaced mere resourcefulness as the guiding principle. Hunters now offered silent thanks to the forest before taking a life. Woodcutters selected trees with care, explaining their need to the silent groves. The settlement, in its infancy, was learning to walk softly.
It was this newfound reverence that led to the next discovery.
